Advisory & Mediation Services
We Help Clients to Prevent, Avoid or Resolve Conflicts & Disputes
After more than forty years serving cross-industry clients and constituents – as CEO, President, CFO, Board Member or Chair - combining methods, tools, and ideas from two or more distinct professional fields, my focus always included blending expertise, solving complex problems, and driving innovation – I have come to one conclusion that has shaped my perspective about executive leadership.
Successful executives do not make rational objective decisions based on who is right or wrong. They make sound, intelligent decisions, based on what is right and what is beneficial to the company and their constituents. Incorrect or uninformed decisions often lead to legal disputes. The most expensive dispute is the one that could have been prevented.
Throughout my career I have participated in projects whose combined value exceeded $2.5 billion. I have negotiated contracts, managed complex financial relationships, work with owners, business development executives, architects, engineers, subcontractors andsuppliers, sureties, attorneys, lenders and boards of directors. Like every executive across industry lines, I have experienced difficult projects, contractual disagreements, claims and litigation. In every one of those experiences, I have learned that legaldisputes rarely begin as a legal problem. They begin as a business decision making problem.
These include a misunderstood conversation, an unrecognized latency issue, an undefined or unresolved expectation, or a project decision made under duress or some form of pressure. Relationships in these situations begin to deteriorate and drive parties apart.
By the time attorneys become involved positions have hardened trust has eroded and options for conciliation have narrowed. The question often becomes one of “Who is right or wrong?” however, the more appropriate question should have been “What is the right course of action for the business that should be implemented to remedy or prevent the issue in the first place?”
That distinction is the foundational underpinning of my executive advisory practice.
I do not provide legal advice, nor do I seek to replace my client's attorneys, project executives, risk managers nor any of their leadership teams. Rather, I serve as an independent executive advisor someone you can call before a disagreement becomes a claim, before a claim becomes litigation, and before valuable business relationships are unnecessarily compromised or damaged.
My professional role is straightforward: to provide objective, experienced executive judgment when the stakes are high and the path forward seems to be uncertain. Sometimes that means helping management evaluate difficult decisions, facilitate conversations that have become strained, identify practicalbusiness solutions before legal positions become entrenched, and sometimes by simply providing experienced objective perspectives drawn from decades of executive leadership across industry.
Business executives devote enormous resources to planning, estimating, scheduling implementing quality control, safety, financial management, risk prevention, and other necessary business considerations, where history reveals that prevention is more effectiveand cost efficient than corrective action entails.
I believe business success and conflict avoidance deserve the same disciplined approach. The cost of one avoidable lawsuit can exceed many times the investment required to prevent dozens of disputes from reaching that point in the first place. More importantly, preserving trusted relationships, protecting reputation, maintaining focus on project execution,and safeguarding the company's enterprise value or strategic advantages that cannot easily be measured on a balance sheet.
My objective has always been to help companies achieve their goals and to guide them in a direction that shields them from costly and time-consuming lawsuits. I do not help companies win lawsuits; my objective is to help my clients to avoid lawsuits.
If your organization values proactive executive counsel rounded in practical leadership experience rather than theory, I would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss with you how an independent executive advisor can become another resource available toyour leadership team whenever difficult situations arise.
Approximately 45 years ago when I began my business experiences, I wished there would be an available and affordable advisor, to whom I could rely on, and of course, one whom I could afford to hire. Fortunately for my clients, because I am not motivated by financial gain, but motivated by service in good faith to others, I am that advisor thatis affordable enough for anyone to engage while on the other hand I am also that an advisor who you may not be able to afford, not to engage.
If you're interested in talking to me, it will cost you nothing except for a bit of your time. I do look forward to hearing from you to see if there's any way I could serve you and help you to achieve your goals.
In a world of controversies, conflicts and disputes, mediation is an indispensable alternative to costly and protracted litigation. The ultimate objective of mediation is to facilitate the parties in reaching a mutually acceptable, voluntary agreement to resolve their dispute.
Mediation assures a collaborative environment where both parties can openly communicate, identify concerns, and explore mutually agreeable solutions under the guidance of a neutral mediator. Unlike traditional litigation, which can be time-consuming and financially burdensome, mediation expedites the dispute resolution process, promoting a quick and cost-effective path to reconciliation, continuation of business, and often the preservation of relationships.
During mediation, the parties tailor their own resolutions to meet their unique circumstances, fostering a sense of inspiration and satisfaction. The confidential nature of mediation encourages candid discussions, facilitating the identification of underlying issues and paving the way for constructive dialogue. Mediation streamlines conflict resolution, preserves relationships, and promotes amicable future business and commerce. The collaborative spirit intrinsic to mediation aligns with the overall goal of business no matter what your place in any dispute.